Civil Procedure · Diversity Jurisdiction

Complete Diversity

Complete diversity requires that no plaintiff share state citizenship with any defendant when the action is filed.

Analytical distinction

Complete diversity is different from minimal diversity. Ordinary diversity jurisdiction generally requires complete diversity, while certain statutory settings use a less demanding minimal-diversity standard.

Common confusion

  • Do not compare only the first plaintiff and first defendant; compare every plaintiff against every defendant.
  • Do not treat later changes in citizenship as controlling when the rule asks about jurisdiction at filing.
  • Do not ignore corporate dual citizenship.